The Snail of Approval is Slow Food Barbados' way of recognising the producers, co-producers and donors who make significant contributions to the transformation of our national food system. In order to help guide locals and visitors to food that is good, clean and fair, Slow Food Barbados awards the Snail of Approval to those artisans, eateries and farmers who contribute to the quality, authenticity, and sustainability of the food we eat and the beverages we drink on the island of Barbados.
Criteria
In our aim to guide locals and tourists towards a better national food system, Slow Food Barbados awards the Snail of Approval to the eateries, artisans, and farmers who contribute to the Quality, Authenticity and Sustainability of the food we eat and the beverages we drink on the island.
Quality
Food must taste good and be good for us. Quality includes: the freshness and wholesomeness of ingredients; the care and craft with which they are handled; the quality of life of consumers, producers and their neighbours. It is a standard of Quality based on food that is good, clean and fair.
Authenticity
The food is true to its source. Natural products free of additives are true to themselves; local, seasonal foods are true to their time and place; heirloom varietals and heritage breeds are true to their evolutionary history; traditional foods are true to their cultural heritage. Authentic foods come from and contribute to ecological and cultural systems that are good, clean and fair.
Sustainability
We must pay attention to the consequences of how we produce and distribute food. We must be good stewards of the environment in which we live; we must protect the biodiversity on which we depend; we must be humane to the animals we raise, fair to the people we employ, and we must insist that high quality food be available to all. Sustainability means reducing all the negative consequences of making food – it means using processes that are good, clean and fair.
Procedure
Anyone may nominate any food or beverage provider that serves the Bajan community, and that contributes to the Quality, Authenticity, and Sustainability of our food supply, by filling out and submitting the SFB Snail of Approval nomination form on the SFB website; the Snail of Approval Committee will vet the nominees and follow up with each nominee; the Committee will then select the recipients. Recipients will receive Snail of Approval decal(s) to be displayed, and will be listed, along with a description of their products and services, on the Snail of Approval page of the SFB website.